Bourbon Showdown Podcast

This week on The Bourbon Showdown , Jesse sits down with Will Fabry, Head Blender at Joseph A. Magnus , to dive into the brand's exciting new release — Joseph Magnus 10-Year Cask Strength Rye Whiskey! Known for producing exceptional whiskey, including the Joseph A. Magnus Cigar Blend, the team at Joseph Magnus is taking things in a bold new direction with this mature, cask strength rye. Will t...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown , Jesse sits down with Mitch Mahar, Head of Whiskey Innovation, and Meghan Ireland, Chief Blender at WhistlePig Whiskey , to dive into the latest chapter of one of the wildest series in American whiskey — The Boss Hog XIII: The Golden Pharaoh . Inspired by an ancient Egyptian recipe for tiger nut cake, The Golden Pharaoh takes WhistlePig rye and finishes it in bar...

This week, Jesse sits down with  Dr. Blake Layfield, Master Distiller and Head of Innovation & Blending at Maker’s Mark , to dive into the highly anticipated  Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2026 . Blending  11-, 12- and 14-year-old bourbon  and bottled at  112.1 proof, cask strength , this release features the oldest whiskey ever used in a Cellar Aged blend. Blake takes us behind the scenes of its c...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown , Jesse sits down with Courtney Sandora, Founder of GoSocial and Co-Founder of Bourbon Signals , to explore how AI is changing the way consumers discover, research, and choose bourbon. Courtney takes us inside Bourbon Signals and the fascinating question behind it: When someone asks AI what bourbon to buy, which brands get recommended—and why? We talk about what i...

Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve with Ian Stirsman of Ross & Squibb This week on The Bourbon Showdown , Jesse sits down with Ian Stirsman of Ross & Squibb Distillery to crack open and drink through the new Remus Lou Gehrig Reserve . Ian takes us behind the bottle to talk about how this special release came together, what makes it different from the rest of the Remus lineup, and the story behind pa...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown Podcast, Widow Jane is back ! Jesse sits down with Sienna Jevremov, Head Distiller at Widow Jane , to talk about one of the distillery’s most exciting releases yet: Widow Jane 10-Year Bourbon finished for eight months in Tequila Ocho casks . Sienna takes us behind the scenes of this unique collaboration and explains what happens when mature bourbon meets the rich,...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown , we’re raising a glass with one of the best in the business — Lux Row Master Distiller John Rempe — for a deep dive into the brand-new Blood Oath Pact 12 . John takes us behind the scenes of Blood Oath and into the mind of the man who has created every Pact since the beginning. We talk about the challenge of making each release completely unique, how he chooses t...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown , Jesse Jones is joined by James Bowker, Global Advocacy Manager for The House of Suntory , for an unforgettable deep dive into the world of Japanese whisky. Whether you're new to Japanese spirits or already a devoted fan, this episode is a true masterclass. James walks us through the fascinating history of whisky in Japan, how it evolved into one of the world...

What happens when you take one exceptional bourbon from every single state in America and blend them into one bottle? On this episode of the Bourbon Showdown Podcast , Jesse Jones welcomes back Lost Lantern co-founder and Head of Sourcing Adam Polonski to dive into one of the most ambitious whiskey projects ever attempted, the Lost Lantern, United States of Bourbon —the first-ever blend of whiskey...

On this week's episode of The Bourbon Showdown , Jesse sits down with acclaimed whiskey writer Noah Rothbaum to explore one of the most ambitious books ever written about the world's favorite spirit: The Whiskey Bible . More than just a reference guide, The Whiskey Bible is a deep dive into whiskey's history, the legendary distilleries and brands that shaped the industry, iconic cockta...

Every summer, the spirits world turns its attention to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail , one of the industry's most influential celebrations of cocktails, education, and hospitality. On this episode of The Bourbon Showdown , Jesse Jones sits down with Charlotte Voisey , Executive Director of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, to talk about what makes this event so special and why 2026...

Greg King returns to The Bourbon Showdown for a deep dive into the legendary world of Lagavulin . From Scotland's whisky regions and what defines a true Scotch to the history behind one of Islay's most iconic distilleries, Greg shares the stories behind every sip. Along the way, we taste Lagavulin 11 Year Old Sweet Peat, the 2025 12 Year Old Special Release "Grain & Embers,"...

Nicole Austin returns to The Bourbon Showdown to discuss the launch of Blade & Bow's new 12-Year Solera Reserve. We dive into the heritage of the Blade & Bow brand, the development of this highly anticipated release, and Nicole's approach to crafting one of the year's most exciting new bourbons. Then, of course, we pop the top on this new expression and take it for a test drive...

On this week's episode of The Bourbon Showdown, Jesse heads across the pond to Scotland with Greg King, Diageo's Single Malt Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador, for an in-depth look at one of Scotland's most beloved whisky's: Oban. As Season 12 continues its exploration of world-class whiskies beyond bourbon, Greg guides the conversation through the fundamentals of Scotch whisky, what...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown, we head back to Scotland with Diageo Luxury Brand Ambassador Ewan Morgan for a masterclass on one of the world's most iconic single malts: Talisker. Ewan takes us deep into the history of the Talisker brand, the science of ultra-aged whisky, and what it takes to guide a spirit to 30, 45, and even 47 years of maturation. Of course, we don't just talk about...

Season 12 starts with a trip to Ireland as Jesse Jones welcomes Redbreast Irish Whiskey Master Blender Dave McCabe to The Bourbon Showdown Podcast! In this episode, Dave McCabe takes us deep into the world of Redbreast and Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, exploring the rich history behind the brand, the art and science of blending, and how Redbreast continues to maintain the craftsmanship that has...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown Podcast , we welcome Bardstown Bourbon Company back to the show as Director of Distillation & Head Distiller Nick Smith joins us in Charlotte, NC to talk all things Bardstown. Nick walks us through his journey to the head distiller chair and shares how Bardstown Bourbon Company has built a reputation for exceptional whiskey through transparency, innovation, an...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown Podcast , we pop the top with the team behind the whiskey brand that has been voted the “Best in the World” — Never Say Die Bourbon . Brian Luftman from Lexington and his UK counterpart Martha Dalton sit down with us to do a deep dive on the incredible origin story behind this award-winning brand — a story that truly has everything. From horse racing and royalty t...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown Podcast , Jesse sits down with whiskey maker Ari Sussman of Whiskey JYPSI to pop the top and pour through the new LEGACY Batch 003: The Declaration . Jesse and Ari dive into the brand’s history and explore how Ari and Eric Church have worked tirelessly since day one to craft a true bourbon symphony—creating a volumetric, 3D whiskey experience with every release. L...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown Podcast , Jesse Jones sits down with — 8th Generation Master Distiller of James B. Beam Distilling Co., Freddie Noe! Jesse and Freddie dive deep into the Beam legacy while sipping on the ultra-rare Knob Creek 21 Year. Freddie shares his journey to the Master Distiller chair, the philosophy behind Booker’s, Knob Creek, Little Book, and his experimental Infinity Ser...

This week on The Bourbon Showdown, we’re joined by Kaveh Zamanian , Founder of Rabbit Hole Distillery . We crack open the new Amrulé Rye, finished in Maple Brûlé casks, and dive into Kaveh’s journey from hospitality and psychology to building one of Kentucky’s most distinctive whiskey brands. We talk about the evolving whiskey landscape, what sets Rabbit Hole apart, and how thoughtful branding pai...

This week we welcome Majure Markow and Old Soul Bourbon back to The Bourbon Showdown for another deep dive into Mississippi whiskey, music, and the stories that shape both. The conversation ranges from Old Soul’s journey to the blues-inspired Tintype Series #3 release, featuring bluesman Kenny Brown, and the music infused whiskey making ideology behind the brand. Jesse and Majure taste through Tin...

This week we welcome Master Distiller Becky Harris from Catoctin Creek to the show to talk all things Virginia whiskey! We go through not just the history of Catoctin Creek but Becky takes me through the history of whiskey in Virginia! It is a fantastic conversation filled with whiskey history, whiskey production and of course good people sharing pours! We dive into some delicious Catoctin Rye sta...

This week on the Bourbon Showdown Podcast , I’m joined by Murphy Quint , Master Blender & Director of Operations at Cedar Ridge Distillery to talk about the tastiest whiskey coming out of Iowa! Murphy’s been in the game since before “craft” was king, and he walks me through Cedar Ridge’s journey—from proving great whiskey could come from outside Kentucky and Tennessee to becoming the number on...

This week on the Bourbon Showdown Podcast , I’m joined by Kevin Aslan , head distiller and head blender for Hirsch Whiskey , and we go full whiskey-geek. We dig into how Hirsch got its start, Kevin’s journey into the brand, and the mythology behind the name (no spoilers—you’ve gotta listen). This is one of those brands that lived before the craft boom and thrived after it, and Kevin brings that pe...